Cathedrals is an experiment in complements. A San Franciscan duo, Brodie Jenkins and Johnny Hwin know how to mix things up. Jenkins’ gorgeous, elegant voice doesn’t immediately fit into the techno-dance world of Hwin, who also sings background vocals. Her voice almost seems too American Idol beautiful to exist in a highly experimental atmosphere, but Cathedrals pulls it off. The rushes of synthetic noise set a perfect stage for melting vocals, but one could just as easily say the opposite. More than anything, the two disparate noises coexist and mingle, quite nicely.
“OOO AAA,” from the band’s recent self-titled EP, burns with desire and vulnerability (“like an open grave”). Distorted electric guitar takes the emotion to new levels, splitting the beats and pulling us into the powerful chorus. As far as beats and sound-mixing goes, there’s too much to mention and not enough mixing vernacular in my lexicon to figure out how to explain. The diversity of crunching beats and siren-noises create a club atmosphere within a song that is ultimately pretty depressing: “We’re dancing and drowning inside.” It probably won’t make you drown inside, but “OOO AAA” will definitely take you out of your own head.